Birth Injury Cases: Cerebral Palsy

As any parent of a child with cerebral palsy knows, cerebral palsy
refers to an impairment or absence of physical coordination due to a
brain injury or abnormality. The difficulties with motor function
experienced by children with cerebral palsy may or may not be accompanied
by any impairments in mental development.

Doctors typically divide cerebral palsy into two broad categories.
They use the term "spastic cerebral palsy" to refer to they type of
cerebral palsy characterized by abnormal muscle tone; and they use the
term "athetoid cerebral palsy" to refer to a form of cerebral palsy
involving involuntary twisting and writing motions. Further refinements
in diagnosis are made by describing the part(s) of the body affected -
whether the palsy affects only legs, or arms, whether it affects one side
of the body and not the other.

Very often, cerebral palsy results from medical malpractice in the
delivery of a child.

Two of the most common causes of cerebral palsy - hypoxia (lack of
oxygen) and physical trauma to the brain - can occur through medical
negligence in the delivery of a baby. Hypoxia can result from an
obstetrician's inattention or error during delivery. And cerebral palsy
caused by physical trauma to the brain can result from an obstetrician's
improper use of forceps or decision to not to perform a Cesarean
section.

A medical malpractice lawyer can obtain and have experts review your
child's medical records to see if there are any signs that your child's
cerebral palsy was caused by medical malpractice during childbirth. If
your child's cerebral palsy was caused by hypoxia during delivery, that
fact might be reflected in low Apgar scores (delivery room measures of
respiration, color, muscle tone, reflexes and heart rate) or a blood pH
that is below 7.20.

In order to determine if your child's cerebral palsy was caused by
physical trauma during delivery, an independent medical doctor hired by
your lawyer should review the medical records of your childbirth for a
number of factors, including whether the doctor expected to deliver such
a large baby and whether the doctor was aware of risk factors for a
natural childbirth such as diabetes.

If you believe that your child's cerebral palsy, or any other birth
injury, was caused by an obstetrician during childbirth, you should
consult with a medical malpractice lawyer for a free review of your
child's medical records by the proper expert.